The Duke Ellington Orchestra

Performing worldwide for more than 101 years under the guidance of three generations of Ellington’s family, this Grammy Award-winning supergroup has produced more iconic jazz classics than any other band.

Today, The Duke Ellington Orchestra comprises brilliant musicians who dedicate themselves to performing Duke’s music while adding—just as their predecessors did–their own creative styles. Together they share a history and lineage that goes back to Duke’s original band members.

Musicians like tenor saxophonist Shelley Paul honor their place in the Orchestra’s legacy: “All the people that have come through the orchestra and all the music,” said Paul, “it is constantly revealing to me over time that I am part of something bigger than I can understand. The way the band has affected not only American society but the world, it just makes me want to be better.”

Artistic director and conductor, Charlie Young is a recognized clinician in the field of jazz education as well as in classical and jazz saxophone performance, including 30 years as a Professor of Saxophone at Howard University and Coordinator of Instrumental Jazz Studies. Clinic presentations in Brazil, Venezuela, Chile, Egypt, Kenya, South Africa, Singapore, and throughout the United States, Europe, and Japan have earned Charlie Young a stellar reputation among the most respected in saxophone performance and education.

Today’s Duke Ellington Orchestra stands on the shoulders of all the great and beloved musicians who came before them, lifting for all to hear the indelibly, powerfully American sound that is the music of Duke Ellington.

The Duke Ellington Orchestra’s performance will include several of the jazz great’s signature tunes, such as Take the A Train, Sophisticated Ladies, Satin Doll, Caravan, Cottontail, and Mood Indigo. The band will also collaborate with the Hendricks Chapel Choir on a selection from Ellington’s Sunday Music. “We are always looking to bring guest artists who are committed to being part of our academic mission,” says Anne Laver, associate professor of organ at the Setnor School of Music and artistic director of the Malmgren Concert Series. “We are thrilled that our students will have the opportunity to make music and interact with these incredible musicians.”

The concert also makes an intentional connection to an impactful photography exhibit, “Homeward to the Prairie I Come: Gordon Parks Photographs from the Beach Museum of Art” that will be on display at the Syracuse University Art Museum from August 22 to December 10. A multi-talented artist who got his start as a jazz musician, Parks met Duke Ellington as a teenager and later toured with his band in 1960. Parks counted Ellington as one of his personal heroes and mentors.

Directly after the concert, audience members are invited to attend a reception and peruse the Gordon Parks photography exhibit, which will be open especially for the event.

Please note: this event will NOT be live streamed or recorded. Please plan to join us in person to experience this phenomenal group! No registration is necessary.

This event is co-sponsored by the Malmgren Concert Series, Hendricks Chapel, and the Setnor School of Music, College of Visual and Performing Arts.